


Next To Me

by danceswithgary



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: romancingmcshep, Drabble Collection, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:28:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29902488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithgary/pseuds/danceswithgary
Summary: Rodney had been there right from the start.
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Comments: 16
Kudos: 43
Collections: Romancing McShep 2021





	Next To Me

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [[vid] Sit Next To Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29903328) by [smilebackwards](https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilebackwards/pseuds/smilebackwards). 



> Romancing McShep 2021 ReverseBang response to smilebackwards wonderful vid

Rodney had been there right from the start.

He'd been there waiting under the ice.

They just hadn't met until after John's simple assignment to ferry a general had turned into hide and seek with a weird missile and then an incredible trip under the ice to a secret base.

John had sat in some weird chair and suddenly, Rodney in his orange fleece was standing over John and telling him to think about where they were in the solar system

Not long after they were riding a underwater city to the surface of another planet. 

In another galaxy.

Together.

~/~

All the time they'd spent exploring Atlantis, walking dark, echoing halls and peering into long empty labs, had paid off in the end. John had known exactly where to go and when, guided by the echoes of Rodney's brave defiance until they were cut off, silenced.

John may have saved Rodney and Elizabeth from Kolya and the Genii, but Rodney was the real hero. 

He'd saved the city, gambled on John to clear out the invaders, was prepared to let the city founder before surrender.

Then, with a flourish, Rodney had called upon his god of science and parted the sea.

~/~

Rodney had always been there, although he sometimes had to be dragged along.

They'd sat together while unwhales swam overhead, while trapped in a virtual blue light cell, while facing Genii guns with aplomb deep underground, 

Riding through a stargate in an invisible jumper, they'd puzzle over an ancient HUD that often masked the view ahead. Flying in space, over planets and misty moons, they would point and ponder until John grew impatient and snapped the mystery closed to soar into a starry sky.

Whenever Rodney had protested, John simply shushed him and said, "Just relax and enjoy the ride."

~/~

Learning how to talk Rodney past a block was an art John had honed over their years together, 

Whether surrounded by candles or blinking lights of computers, they'd argue and consider and calculate together  
until Rodney's brain made the necessary connections to keep their team alive.

John had been Rodney's support past ascension and during a descent to childhood. He'd even rowed a boat with him in the rain, a clown behind and a whale below.

Yet John had never managed a simple request of his own.

Close quarters, where he could dream that the wall between them didn't exist.

~/~

Madison squeaked and clapped her hands over her ears. "It's too loud!" She turned to shout, "Aren't you scared, Uncle John?"

John smiled and shook his head. "Nope. Your Uncle Rodney and I've seen even bigger ones before."

"Where?" she asked, her eyes bright with curiosity. "In the Benighted States?"

It was Jeannie's turn to squeak. "Madison! It's the United States!"

Madison frowned up at her embarrassed mother. "But that's what you said...."

Glancing toward Rodney, who was busy explaining the chemical reactions occurring above to Kaleb, John chuckled. "Not a problem. I've thought something like that more than once."

~/~

Late night races through empty halls were always fun and safer than the real life simulation game they'd been playing. Even so, John still missed the plotting and wrangling and covert glances over their monitors, setting up the gotchas that would make Rodney sputter and complain all the way back to their quarters.

Playing chess could sometimes come close, especially when John managed to get Rodney riled up, convinced that John was cheating instead of merely better than him. John never told him about being in chess club instead hanging out with the jocks.

He had a reputation to uphold.

~/~

Rodney's flamboyant attempts at silent communication – aka less than military hand signals – had never worked, although they'd often amused. Temporary deafness via panicked whales had highlighted that problem when their fail safe – exasperated whispers – wasn't available. 

Failure might frustrate Rodney, but it never stopped him from trying again.

And again.

In self defense, John had learned to speak McKay, and that skill had saved them many times.

Still, a failure to communicate on certain important issues persisted through their years together, both on and off Atlantis. 

Shoulder to shoulder had been the best they could manage.

~/~

Rodney always had the ability to make John snort his beer.

Wiping away the latest alcoholic burn, John recalled something that puzzled him.

Carefully nudging Rodney's shoulder, John asked, "So why'd you call me 'Arthur'?"

Rodney tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. "Arthur?"

"That night. Out here. You called me Arthur."

"I did?" Rodney answered slowly. "Ohhhh."

"King Arthur?"

"More like Arthur Ross."

"Who?"

Rodney paused, his shoulders hunched. "A guy I sort of had a crush on in university."

"So you. And me."

"Sort of?"

John grinned. "Ditto."

Rodney's nudge wasn't careful, so seawater was the next thing John snorted.

~/~

The diner's dumpster was the perfect place to dispose of the evidence. 

Rodney frowned and grumbled as he carefully peeled off the tape on paper ribbons and flowers. "Damn O'Neill and Jackson! They better not have ruined the finish!"

John agreed as he cut through the strings of tin cans. Rodney had spent days tracking down and upgrading the perfect vintage muscle car for John to drive. The bright red paint job had been the cherry on top.

Cleanup complete, John pointed toward the front of the diner. "Hungry?"

"I am feeling a bit peckish." 

And they followed the good smells inside.

~/~

"You made a mix tape."

Rodney looked up from the player. "It's not.... Fine. It's a mix CD."

"Cool." John grinned, asking, "What's on it?"

"I looked up the latest country...." 

John stopped Rodney from pressing play. "Don't really like country."

"That poster?"

"A joke from my unit after they found out. They'd constantly blast Cash."

Rodney's cheeks reddened as he removed the CD, muttering, "I'll find something...."

"Hey." John turned to face Rodney. "Not a problem."

Rodney frowned. "But..."

Their rings clinking, John tugged Rodney close. He smiled and whispered against Rodney's lips, "Just relax and enjoy the ride."

**Author's Note:**

> Words arrive more slowly everyday, so after multiple failures I set myself a challenge - write this story as 10 standalone drabbles in a story arc. And here it is.


End file.
